"Such shots made by it ... are but rare occurrences in the history of artillery firing." - Theophilus Noel
On his arrival at El Paso, in late April of 1862, General Sibley issued an order promoting 1st Lieutenant Joseph D. Sayers to a captaincy. The twenty-year-old Sayers, a native of Bastrop, Texas, was Adjutant of the 5th Regiment, and had shown considerable gallantry at Valverde and Peralta. With morale plummeting, Sibley hoped to improve his army's disposition, by pointing up the greatest success of their campaign (See, The Road to Glorieta). To that end, the General created a new artillery company, to be called the "Valverde Battery." The unit was armed with Captain Alexander McRae's captured Union guns, and young Joe Sayers was named its captain. Ironically, this move by Sibley actually increased dissatisfaction among some of his troops who took exception to the new unit's composition.
Captain Sayers was authorized to transfer men, from each or any of the regiments, to the Valverde Battery, and found no difficulty in organizing his company. Most of his recruits came from the 5th Regiment. Nineteen were drawn from its, now disbanded, mountain howitzer battery. Sayers quickly tapped gunners Timothy Dargen Nettles, Peyton Hume, William Smith and one other enlisted man to serve as the battery's officers. Unfortunately, this left few positions for officers and men from the 4th Regiment's mountain howitzer battery. As their cannon were all abandoned during the retreat, these men had nowhere to go, except back into ranks. Even though Nettles, Hume, and Smith saw significant action in New Mexico, the new appointments were viewed by some as a snub. Charles Raguet and other officers, who went through the entire campaign, were plainly told that, they could report themselves to their original Captain for duty as privates. Frank Starr, expressing the sentiment of many, wrote to his father that the treatment of these officers was "in fact a disgrace to them." (1)
Off to a rocky start, the Valverde Battery was, nonetheless, successfully organized by May 14, 1862. Of the seventy-five men on the battery's muster roll, sixty-seven were from the 5th Regiment, six were from the 7th Regiment, one was from the 4th, and one was from Teel's artillery. Among the lucky few chosen from the 7th Regiment were, privates Thomas G. Avery and P. B. Payne, both of whom transferred from Isaac Adair's Company H. (2)
The newly constituted battery was among the first elements of the Army of New Mexico to leave Confederate Arizona. Departing with Pyron's battalion, it preceded most of the command down the country, and arrived at San Antonio on July 10th. Two days later the San Antonio Herald proudly announced; "The splendid battery captured from the Lincolnites at Valverde arrived in town last Monday. It consists of six brass pieces; two twelve pound field pieces, three six pound guns, and one twelve pound howitzer, all in fine condition." "Upon the arrival in this city of the battery captured at Valverde, a salute of eleven guns was fired." (3)
Unlike the rest of the Brigade, the Valverde Battery was not furloughed at San Antonio. Instead, it was ordered to proceed directly to Marshall, Texas, where General Sibley was establishing his temporary headquarters. Like the brigade itself, the battery quickly became a bone of contention among various Confederate commands. Shortly after its arrival at Marshall, it was detached from the brigade and ordered forward to join Lieutenant General Theophilus Holmes' command in the Trans-Mississippi Department. General Bankhead Magruder, trying to organize his new Texas command, was also short on artillery. Catching wind of the move, he ordered the battery to remain at Marshall. On December 12, 1862, stating that it was absolutely necessary to have more artillery near Galveston, Magruder ordered Captain Sayers to report to him in Houston. (4)
During the recapture of Galveston, the Valverde Battery supported the action from Virginia Point (See Confederate Army of New Mexico Epilogue). Afterwards, it was hurried on to Louisiana, where it arrived several weeks in advance of the Brigade. The guns were immediately put into the field in support of Lieutenant Colonel Edwin Waller's battalion and were involved in some warm engagements before the rest of Sibley's men arrived. One action in particular was deemed "a brilliant affair" by the Confederates and increased the reputation of the battery. (5)
For much of the war, Union gunboats were the "bug-bear of Southern troops." Heavily armed and protected by iron, the boats seemed invincible. Navigating Southern rivers as they pleased, they created panic and confusion whenever they appeared. During January, February, and March, of 1863, gunboats out of the Federal enclave at Berwick City made occasional runs to the Confederate side of the bay. Surprising the Rebels, they would drive in enemy pickets and create a general alarm. General Taylor, commanding the area, was disgusted by the raids. Although he acknowledged, that gunboats were dangerous on the open ocean or in a wide river with room to maneuver. He believed, that at close quarters, in a narrow river, they were vulnerable to small arms. Taylor argued, that if troops could get in close enough, they could pick off Union gunners before they could do any real damage. (6)
On the night of March 27th, the Union gunboats, "Diana" and "Calhoun", left Berwick and steamed up the Bayou Teche to Franklin. The following morning, Taylor's theory was put to the test. At daylight the boats were discovered coming back down by Major Hannibal H. Boone. Instead of allowing his men to scatter as usual, Boone ordered them into line of battle. Under his command were the six companies of Waller's battalion, totaling less than 300 men, and two pieces of the Valverde Battery, under Lieutenant Timothy Nettles. The Confederates formed up behind some plantation quarters near a sugar house, and waited. The men were instructed, that as soon as the foremost boat got opposite the upper company, they were to charge the sixty yards to the water's edge, and "keep their port holes so full of bullets that they could not fire a cannon." As each company's position was passed, they were supposed to "double quick down and form below the lowest company, and take up the fire as soon as the boats come in range." (7)
The gunboat Diana "was armed with a thirty-pounder Parrot and two field guns, and had her boilers protected by railway iron." When the boats discovered the Confederates, "they turned loose a broad side on the quarters, completely demolishing the houses and killing thirteen horses on the first fire. The second broad side was equally destructive to houses and horses, but killed no men." The gunboats were now opposite the Rebels' position. To the Federals' astonishment, instead of running, the Confederates attacked. As another broadside passed over their heads, Boone's men charged down upon the boats and opened on them with their muskets. The Union crews were stunned. As Taylor predicted, the hail of bullets forced the Federals to close their gun ports or die. "The gunboats were soon silenced, for whenever head or hand was exposed, a bullet went through it." Meanwhile Nettles and his section of artillery went to work. The Rebel small arms continued to play a lively tune, with the "two pieces of the Val Verde battery, furnishing the bass." (8)
Seeing that his boats were in danger, Commodore Winslow, in command of the Union ships, ordered them to crowd on steam and try to beat the Confederates to the mouth of the Teche and break out into the bay. Pouring on speed, the Calhoun managed to escape. The Diana was not as lucky. Boone's men kept pace with her for four or five miles, "shooting at every man that exposed himself," until "a cannon shot from the Val Verde battery cut her rudder chain." Helpless, the gunboat drifted to the far shore, where the Confederates continued to pound her. Captain Peterson of the Diana was killed along with a large portion of his crew. Many, who were still able, scrambled to shore and escaped into the woods. The Union crewmen, who remained, quickly surrendered. Boone's men swarmed across the bayou in impromptu boats, made from wooden sugar coolers, and boarded the crippled boat. (9)
The Valverde Battery was given prominent credit for the Diana's capture. Not only did Nettles and his section of artillery stand their ground, their handiwork was the immediate cause of the gunboat's seizure. With her heavy guns, the Diana was a valuable prize. Although disabled, she wasn't badly damaged, and the Rebels soon put her back into service. More important than her guns, however, was the emotional value of proving that the Federal gunboats were vulnerable. From that time on, Union gunboats ceased to be a terror to the Rebel troops in Louisiana. To the end of the war, the boats were very cautious about how they tackled Taylor's command. (10)
After its success against the Diana, the Valverde Battery rejoined the Sibley Brigade for the defense of Bisland (See Confederate Army of New Mexico and Henry Hopkins Sibley Epilogues). Sited on the Confederate right, the artillery company of the battery "cut large cypress, ash, and elm trees and built a large log house which was filled with earth. On top of this earth filled house the Valverde Battery was mounted." In front of the house, Colonel Green's men constructed a ditch and a barricade, and were lying in line of battle. "Big trees were cut so that the battery could command the field, shooting over the men in the ditch." During the ensuing battle, the Valverde Battery covered itself in glory, dueling constantly with enemy batteries that were superior in both number and caliber. Positioned on their raised platform, the gunners were perilously exposed. By the time the battery was finally withdrawn, its youthful Captain, Joseph D. Sayers, was dangerously wounded in both the thigh and the head. (11)
Timothy Dargan Nettles again distinguished himself at Bisland, commanding the artillery on the captured gunboat Diana. General Taylor ordered the armored boat positioned in the Teche, and used its thirty pound Parrot gun to anchor the center of his line. So heavily did the Federals target the Diana that Taylor commented; the water of the bayou seemed to boil. For the gallantry of himself and his men, Lieutenant Nettles received the applause of the whole army. (12)
During the Confederate retreat from Franklin and the running fight across Vermilion Prairie, the battery again increased its reputation. At Vermilion Bayou, Peyton Hume, with but one section of guns, kept nearly 8,000 of the enemy at bay while Taylor's infantry escaped. So effective was Hume's fire, that he compelled the Federals "to take from the field their celebrated Nim's Battery of Napoleon guns." (13)
The Valverde Battery continued to perform yeoman service for the Confederates in Louisiana and Arkansas. During 1863 it participated in the recapture of Brashear City, the storming of Fort Butler, and the Battle of Bayou Lafourche. In 1864 it was assigned to the 1st Artillery Battalion, Trans-Mississippi Department, and particularly distinguished itself at Mansfield and Pleasant Hill. When Lee surrendered at Appomattox Courthouse, the Valverde Battery, like the rest of the one-time Sibley Brigade, was in northeast Texas, awaiting orders. (14)
After the war, the battery's guns disappeared. There are several different stories as to what became of them, but all agree that the Confederates refused to surrender their heroic battery. Some say, that the cannon were thrown into the Red River, others say that the tubes were buried. Another likely account was written in 1922 by ex-Private Felix Collard of the 7th Texas. According to Collard; the Battery's "brave defenders, rather than see it fall into the hands of the enemy, in early spring of 1865, ran the caissons off into a deep gully one mile north west of Fairfield, Texas. The brass pieces were sold to the Phoenix Iron Works of Houston, Texas." Other accounts support Collard's contention that the caissons were run into a gully, but it appears that at least some of the tubes were buried and later recovered. Histories for Fairfield County report that Valverde Cannons were "fired during the celebration of Grover Cleveland's first election." One cannon said to come from the battery was used at a Civil War Commemoration of the Red River Campaign in 1964. Today, this gun sits in the Fairfield County courtyard. Another of the guns is said to reside in Limestone County. (15)
The only other Valverde Cannon, whose whereabouts is still known, sits in El Paso. This piece had a broken caisson, and was abandoned when the Sibley Brigade left New Mexico. The breech and muzzle of the cannon were stained. According to Sibley's onetime artillery chief, Major Teel, the stains were made by the blood of Alexander McRae and Samuel Lockridge as their bodies sank and rested on the gun. Today the cannon is a treasured memento, a testimonial to many of courage and honor. (16)
Footnotes
1. Noel, Campaign from Santa Fe, p.49; Gracy, "New Mexico Campaign Letters of Frank Starr," pp.185-186.
2. Hall, The Confederate Army of New Mexico, pp.290-292; Noel, Campaign from Santa Fe, p.49.
3. Hall, The Confederate Army of New Mexico, p.289, as quoted in; Noel, Campaign from Santa Fe, p.49.
4. OR,I,XV,p.884 J. Bankhead Magruder to Lieutenant- General Pemberton; OR,I,XV,p.894, J. Bankhead Magruder to Maj. S.S. Anderson; OR,I,XV,p.897, J.Bankhead Magruder to Col. S.S. Anderson.
5. Waller's Battalion joined the existing units of the Sibley Brigade in Louisiana and served with them for the rest of the war. Texas Historical Foundation, "Red River Campaign," p.23; Noel, Campaign from Santa Fe, p.49.
6. Davidson, "Reminiscences of the Old Brigade," July 12, 1888; Taylor, Destruction and Reconstruction, p.128.
7. Davidson, "Reminiscences of the Old Brigade," July 12, 1888; Collard, Reminiscences, p.27.
8. Taylor, Destruction and Reconstruction, p.128; Davidson, "Reminiscences of the Old Brigade," July 12, 1888.
9. Ibid; Collard, Reminiscences, p.27.
10. Davidson, "Reminiscences of the Old Brigade," July 12, 1888.
11. Captain Sayers recovered from his Bisland wounds, and later from others received at Mansfield. In 1864 he left the Valverde battery, and was appointed to the staff of the 5th Texas Cavalry as an assistant adjutant general, with the rank of major. Following the war, Joe Sayers returned to Texas and entered politics. In 1873 he was elected state representative from the Bastrop district. He served one term as lieutenant-governor in 1878-79, and then represented Texas in the United States Congress from 1885 to 1898. In 1898 he resigned his congressional seat and was elected governor of Texas, serving two terms. Joseph Draper Sayers died on May 15, 1929. Collard, Reminiscences, p.13; Noel, Campaign from Santa Fe, p.49; Wright, Texas in the War, p.79.
12. Noel, Campaign from Santa Fe, p.49, Taylor, Destruction and Reconstruction, p.128.
13. Noel, Campaign from Santa Fe, p.49.
14. Wright, Texas in the War, p.137; Collard, Reminiscences, p.5.
15. Ibid, see also Wood, Leon County CSA Sketches; Texas Historical Foundation, "Red River Campaign," p.23.
16. Harris, "A Tale of Men Who Knew Not Fear, pp.71-72.
(See The Road to Glorieta for bibliography)
